Sat Jun 26, 2010 4:18 pm
After removing the neck on some of the early G&Ls, typically you would find in the neck pocket of the body either a number or initials written in green or red marker. In the case of the initials "CL", they are the initials of one of the final assembly employees that worked in the body shop. They started using the markings to identify the assembler so that when a guitar didn't pass the quality control inspection, it would be returned to that same employee for repairs or adjustments. In the early days at G&L, some employees were given the option to be paid by the quanity of work completed over a given period of time. This was literaly a quality assurance safeguard. It's been suggested that the initials "CL" could possibly be for Clarence Leo. This is not correct. Leo Fender did not initial or sign the neck pocket of any of the G&Ls. He did however sign the sticker in the neck pocket of all of the Broadcasters. The "CL" initials you may find on some of the early G&Ls represents an employee by the name of Chris Leal.